Comments on: 7 Things I Hate About Soccer

By: Pam

Pam — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:47:58 +0000

Amen. The short corner never works!

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:23:54 +0000

The socks-over-the-knees comes from playing on astro-turf.

By: The Rookies » Blog Archive » Last Call: I’d Like to Propose a Toast

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:02:10 +0000

[...] Even the ATD boys know that there are some things to hate about soccer. (ATD) [...]

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:00:41 +0000

Totally agree on the final point, there are multiple things that they could do to get a better system in place.
-An official up in the press box or something with a couple of monitors, a goal/non goal looks questionable, call up to that guy, if he’s got conclusive evidence he issues a reversal, if it’s too close to call, he doesn’t. It’d take about 30 seconds. It wouldn’t ruin the flow of the game more than an injury, a substitution, or most free kicks.
-This one is a little more out there, and I’m not 100% sure it can be done, but a ball implanted with RFID chips and sensors in both of the posts. RFID chips are thin enough that they could be implanted directly into the ball without weight or movement of the ball being impacted. If the RFID trips the sensor, the 4th official is notified and sends a message along that it was a goal or not. This is less perfect, but it would take next to zero time off the clock, and allow for quick reactions.
-Combine the two somehow and you’ve got a near perfect way to determine goals.

By: Magnakai Haaskivi

Magnakai Haaskivi — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:41:39 +0000

Just an addendum to the “wall creeping up” complaint: it’s equally obnoxious when a kicker asks for ten yards and then, as the ref is walking it off, moves the ball a good yard backwards from where the ref started so he has more room to get a good bend in. I’m hoping the “South American Spray Paint” stuff gets implemented in the World Cup; the ref just sprays a line ten yards from the ball, which disappears a few minutes later. Fantastic.

By: Oliver Gaspard

Oliver Gaspard — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:29:06 +0000

I second getting rid of the “away goals” rule. It’s completely ridiculous in my opinion.

I’ve always thought short corners were pointless, though I never hated them like you seem to. Funny thing is, I’m almost positive I was watching the BPL in August and one of the teams scored off of one. I was shocked.

By: Green Eggs

Green Eggs — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:00:23 +0000

Some acts of gamesmanship are more hated than others, but here are a few things that drive me nuts:

- Purposefully falling on the ball when you’re fouled so that the play has to stop, no matter what.
- Advancing the wall inside the 10-meter safe zone on a free kick before the play starts. It’s petty, it’s not much of anything, but I can’t stand it.
- Whenever supporters throw items (streamers and less innocuous detritus) at players when they are getting ready to take a corner kick. You wouldn’t find this in any other sport without a stoppage of play and an appropriate penalty to the other team; why do we put up with it in soccer?
- Last, but not least, and an obvious point in today’s game: I hate that soccer has no timeline in place to implement technology into the officials’ arsenal to call the game correctly. Don’t tell me that it will lengthen the game too much; hockey uses replay for disputed goals, they’re done in 60 seconds, and it’s back to action. Whether it’s by HawkEye, by video replay, whatever – get it implemented.

By: tom

tom — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:46:14 +0000

running over someone like an 18wheeler and then wondering what the foul was.

kicking the opponents ball away on a set play, goes uncarded all the time

add to simulation when they hug the ball while rolling in pain…

throw-in delays, and standing in front of the ball usually only take 5-20 seconds from the match and do sometimes buy needed time for setup, i’ve never been bothered by this as with simulation

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:00:42 +0000

Its funny when Gooch does it though because either:

A) Someone tries to take the ball from him, and Gooch absolutely manhandles cet player

B) No one at all tries to do anything about it because its Gooch…

By: Magnakai Haaskivi

Magnakai Haaskivi — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:08:52 +0000

While we’re talking about “hated” things:

-Oguchi Onyewu does something similar to the throw-in thing when he gets called for a foul; he picks up the ball and walks around with it, keeping the other team from setting up for the kick. I’d rather he stand in front of the ball; it just seems petty and childish. He’s not the only one who does this, but he’s the biggest offender.

-Manuel Almunia’s hair this season makes him look like he’s a diseased animal. It’s awful.

-I really, really hate it when a guy hard fouls someone and then pretends to have been injured in an effort to get out of the deserved yellow card on sympathy. Javier Mascherano does this all the time; I don’t mind the foul, but you should just take your card and be done.